Remotely activated sprayers are known. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,432,472, 5,368,202, 6,976,644 and 7,040,510 disclose mounting spray devices on one end of a shaft and remotely activating the spray device from the other end of the shaft. The U.S. Pat. No. 4,432,472 patent discloses a buffer at the distal end of the shaft, along with a chain connected thereto that extends to the proximate end of the shaft for operating the spray device remotely. The U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,368,202, 6,976,644 and 7,040,510 patents disclose a trigger lever at the proximal end (i.e. user's handle end) of the shaft, which when activated (moved) by the user causes the spray device at the other end of the pole to emit a liquid spray. The use of such trigger levers to remotely trigger a spray device at the other end of the shaft which also contains a cleaning device such as a broom or mop is also known (i.e. spray mop).
One issue with conventional spray mops is the user's need to control the amount of spray emitted by the spray device each time the lever is activated. Spray volume adjustments made down at the spray device are not ideal because it requires the user to bend down and make such adjustments at the distal end of the shaft. Another issue is that different applications require different spray patterns. Yet, conventional spray mops fail to provide a reliable, inexpensive configuration for modifying the spray pattern.
There is a need for a convenient adjustment mechanism at the proximal (user) end of the spray mop shaft for adjusting the amount of liquid that is released for each operation of the lever. Ideally, such an adjustment mechanism will not limit the travel of the spray lever to accomplish the adjustment of liquid spray amount, so that the user will experience the same action of the lever no matter how much liquid is being dispensed by the spray device. There is also a need for a reliable and inexpensive configuration for allowing the user to modify the spray pattern.